


Life of a CIA Spy in Berlin

by nicholasbenson01



Category: Berlin Station (TV), Daniel Miller - Fandom
Genre: Blood and Torture, Gay male characters, M/M, Rape Non-Con Elements, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 14:14:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,234
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29668509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicholasbenson01/pseuds/nicholasbenson01
Summary: Here is my fan re-write of Berlin Station Season 3. Daniel Miller lives and goes on to have a happy life, and he is gay. Rodion Volkov is gay, and Hector DeJean is gay. There will be many chapters in this fic. I wrote it for Daniel Miller, who I love. I gave him the happy ending he deserved. There is a lot of violence and non-con rape with descriptive torture sessions when Daniel is taken into Russia. I have also added my original characters to help the story flow more. You will meet them as the story progresses. There are Russian's and German's who work for Krik at the Dacha, and they are the ones, including Krik and Roman Platov, who torture poor Daniel. Please leave kudos, and please be as kind as you can if you make comments. This fic is my life's work, and I am proud of it. I wrote it mainly for myself, but I wanted to share it with others who may also enjoy reading it.*Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction it's words and written content are mine. This is my story the way I have interpreted it.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 7





	1. Prologue - Trouble in Spain

It was September 4, 2019, Labor Day weekend in a villa in the mountains of Southern Spain. He felt the cold air coming in; autumn had arrived early that year. The heat was on inside the house, making the atmosphere toasty, warm, and comfortable. There were fireplaces ablaze in all the rooms, upstairs and down. He wore a royal blue sweater, blue denims, and thick, green woolen socks.

He was upstairs in his bedroom—their bedroom, the room he and his lover shared. He had showered, quickly dressed himself, and then used the hairdryer to dry his thick black hair. It was past his ears now, but he liked it that way. He wore a beard, neatly trimmed. He was a civilian now, so he could relax. He and Rodion had gotten into their routine.

He could hear Rodion, and two other men--their friends—talking downstairs. It was early, around eight o’clock in the morning. They were in the kitchen, probably making breakfast, but he wasn’t hungry right now. The smell of rich coffee enticed him downstairs and into their company.

He was greeted by everyone there. “Good morning, Daniel,” Hector said first with a smile.

“Morning, Hector,” was all Daniel said, with a soft smile.

“Good morning, sweetheart. How are you?” Rodion asked, as he moved toward Daniel, held him in his arms and kissed his lips gently. He spoke in his Russian accent, his broken English prevalent. He knew it comforted Daniel, and that was what he mostly cared about. Daniel’s comfort and the love they shared together.

“Good morning, Rodion. I’m okay. I’m only tired,” Daniel murmured and returned his lover’s kisses. He found that comfort in Rodion’s Russian accent, and his broken English. It was one of the many things he loved about him. They shared a love so deep and it got him through everything.

“Good morning, Daniel. Are you hungry? We made pancakes this morning,” Stefan announced. He beamed loving glances in Hector’s direction while awaiting Daniel’s reply.

“No, thank you, Stefan. I’m not hungry right now. I. . .just. . .maybe. . .some coffee,” Daniel answered and smiled warmly at the tall, handsome blond German man.

“Yes, of course,” Stefan answered, and he moved to the coffee machine, poured Daniel a cup of coffee, then added coffee creamer and sugar. 

“Thank you, Stefan, it smells good,” Daniel said as he took the mug between his hands, allowing the mug to warm his palms.

“Are you sure you are not hungry, sweetheart? I can make you some oatmeal with blueberries, and bring it to you in living room,” Rodion offered, but didn’t push Daniel.

“No, thank you. Maybe later. The coffee is good for now. It’s going to be a cold day today. I can feel it. Autumn and winter are coming,” Daniel said as he sipped his milky sweet coffee. It was delicious and made him feel good. Being in Rodion’s arms last night had helped too, but he needed to be calm.

“Glad to see you’re feeling better, Daniel,” Hector said with a smile.

Daniel gave Hector a small smile and seemed to retreat inside himself. Rodion saw the change in him and drew Daniel into his arms. “Is okay, sweetheart. Why don’t you go sit in living room and warm yourself by the fire? There is blanket for you on the back of your chair. I will be along shortly,” Rodion spoke softly, in his Russian accent, his broken English prevalent in the room, as he kissed him softly.

“Yes, that sounds nice. I will see you soon,” Daniel murmured and returned his lover’s kisses.

Daniel turned and walked from the kitchen into the living room. The room was inviting, the fire crackled enthusiastically, and warmth radiated toward him as he approached the comfortable chair he and Rodion usually shared. He sat down and placed his coffee mug on the end table, then drew the blanket across his legs and lap. It was a plush blue and green velvet blanket, embroidered like a coat of arms—their coat of arms.

He picked up his coffee mug again and sipped the hot brew. Hot liquid warmed his insides as it made its way down, but it did little to diminish the events that still left him shivering. He closed his eyes and tried to let the sounds of the villa drown out the echoing memories that chased him inside his head. The soothing voices of his three friends reached him from the kitchen and he could feel himself beginning to relax. He allowed his mind and his body to unwind as he drew in the sounds of the crackling fire, the voices from the kitchen, and the sound of the wind blowing through the trees outside. Leaves were falling from the trees all around the villa now, and the landscape had become like the flames; burnt orange and yellow and red. Only a few leaves remained green, the stubborn holdouts from a quick-fading summer. He could hear the leaves softly thudding on top of the pool cover, a lulling drumbeat that worked to quiet his racing heart.

He meditated, using the villa’s comforting effect to romance him into serenity. He began his breathing exercises and felt his racing heart begin to calm. The tension in his back and legs abated and his stiff posture relaxed into the plush coziness of the chair. After several minutes, he drifted into a quiet and peaceful slumber.

He drifted, dreamless and serene, the walls he’d built up inside himself easing down around him. His anxiety evaporated and he knew a moment’s peace before the first horrific vision lashed out at him. Darkness. Claustrophobia. Two small rectangles from which to see only that which his captors allowed. The heavy burden of the iron mask. Then, the forest in the narrow field of his vision. The uneven ground. The awkwardness of his feet as he ran. The heavy mask throwing off his balance. The unstoppable sounds of a cruel pursuit. The sweat pouring across his face as he ran. Then, the inevitable knowledge there was nowhere to hide and the roaring unmistakable sound of the flamethrower as he threw himself to the ground and tried to protect his body. The flames enveloped the fire-retardant suit they’d dressed him in, and the iron mask heated around his head like an oven. He heard his own screaming as his skin began searing and parboiling in his own sweat. Soon. He hoped it would be over soon.

In the cozy living room, Daniel cried out in his sleep. “No!” He was trapped between sleep and wakefulness. At last, he jolted awake, the scream still on his lips. His fingers relinquished the hold on his mug and the mug shattered against the nearby hearth.

Rodion and the others rushed in from the kitchen. Rodion kept the others at a distance as he approached Daniel, who was sitting in their chair, slumped over under the weight of his emotions, and sobbing uncontrollably.

Daniel flinched violently at Rodion’s touch. “Is okay, sweetheart,” Rodion soothed, moving his hand along Daniel’s back.

Daniel turned in the chair and Rodion pulled him into his embrace. “I’m lost!” Daniel sobbed and resignedly leaned against the man he loved. “Why didn’t they just kill me?”

Rodion held Daniel for a moment and then moved his hands to Daniel’s bearded face so they could look at one another. “We are going to get through this. You and me. I promise.” Then, he pulled Daniel back into his embrace.

Daniel laid his head on Rodion’s shoulder and tried to calm down. His sobs were beginning to lessen, but he trembled, knowing it was soul-cold and not body cold that had left him shivering. Maybe Rodion would make the nightmares go away but Daniel couldn’t see how, and he couldn’t shake that horrible vision. . .


	2. I Spy with my Little Eye

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel listens to a podcast with Gilbert Dorn. Secrets, secrets and more secrets.

Independence Day. July 4, 2019. Daniel Miller was up early. The gruff voice of retired CIA spy Gilbert Dorn was carried low like a secret through Daniel’s earbuds. Daniel listened intently to the podcast. Dorn described Berlin thirty years before. The Wall had come down and the east and west sides of the long-divided city had regained sight of one another. Daniel held his breath. Could this be—would this be—the information he needed to answer all the old questions and solve the biggest mystery of his life? 

He had been just a boy of 5 years old on that fateful night in Berlin. His mother, Sara Miller, had tucked him in and bid him goodnight before she had gone out for the evening. He had pretended to settle in and waited for her to leave the house before he had slipped out of bed and sought the window. Normally, he would have stayed up to read but something had beckoned him to his bedroom panes that evening, and he watched his mother cross the street to the waiting vehicle. He often wondered what he would have done differently had he known her kind goodnight and soft kiss at his temple would be the last moments they’d share. 

Daniel observed, unseen from the window, as she got into the car with Stasi Colonel, Lukas Becker. His mind imagined Becker turning the key. Had there been some warning—any sign that the next moment would not come? What had been his mother’s last thoughts? Five-year-old Daniel Miller watched as fire erupted beneath the car’s chassis and unfurled like a carpet of death. Flames licked the gas tank and the vehicle jolted upward from the asphalt, its parts exploded from within and it crashed back down in pieces. It had all happened in the blink of an eye; he played it inside his mind in slow motion, and he took note of things seen but not realized in the moment. There had been a man standing in the front yard of the house. The man was dressed in a cap, a long tan overcoat, and glasses. Who was that man? What role had the man played in his mother’s death? He hoped the podcast would shed some light.

Most would think Daniel had followed in his father’s footsteps. He never argued that assumption; never corrected it. He bided his time and strategically placed himself in the proper places at the proper times to move himself closer to the access he needed. Life was a game of chess, he knew. Each piece he eliminated and each piece he sacrificed drew him closer to the truth. He made himself valuable. Proved himself trustworthy. He played the game with precision and manipulated his way back to Germany. No one cared about one piss-ant station in Berlin—not really, but Daniel had made it his mission to make them care. Who was Thomas Shaw? He convinced his superiors finding out was important. He lined them up like dominos and watched them fall under the spell of his manipulation. When his supervisor assigned him to the station to identify Shaw, he had been packed and ready.

Thomas Shaw was a whistleblower who was exposing the wrongdoings of CIA spies within Berlin station. Daniel had a secret about the true identity of Thomas Shaw. It had come as no surprise to him that Thomas Shaw was really his friend and former lover, Hector DeJean. Daniel was more involved in it than anyone had known. Only he and Hector knew the truth about it, and maybe one day he would tell everyone how he and Hector had planned the whole thing. The memory brought a rueful smile to his face. That long ago afternoon in Chechnya flitted across his mind’s eye as the podcast drew on. Hector had saved Daniel’s life on that afternoon in 2006. The mission was to thwart an Al Qaeda suicide bomber but no one, especially Daniel, had imagined the bomber to be a woman. It had almost been too late once he and Hector identified her. Daniel had been within the kill radius and Hector had pulled him back just before the bomb had been detonated in the market square. A closeness had been formed that surpassed their professional familiarity and the aftermath had led to a kiss; the kiss to an intimacy which would flourish between them until the relationship had run its course.

Daniel Miller was an attractive man. He was six foot two, with brown hair, ice blue eyes, and a muscular frame. The tall, dark and handsome type that both men and women found alluring, and he had been with both. 

Alone in his Berlin apartment, Daniel returned his attention back to the podcast. The ex-CIA agent had been recounting the events leading up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and then he had begun to speak about events just after. Daniel sat up and closed his eyes. He listened intently and his mind began racing. He reached for his cellphone, and dialed Esther Krug, his friend from the Bfv, Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz, the Republic of Germany’s Domestic Security Agency. She was the German spy to his American Spy.

Esther Krug was five foot nine inches tall, with long sandy blond hair, and blue eyes. She was a true German, true to her country, and she loved her job. She was sexy, smart, and sassy. Her hourglass figure lent her an air of old Hollywood starlet but her eyes held the truth of her remarkable cunning. She was an exceptionally good friend. She had been Daniel’s shoulder when Hector had had to leave after the debacle with the Germans, Otto Ganz, and his daughter Lena. Daniel knew he could always talk to Esther. She was his dear friend and would keep their conversations private. She picked up the receiver and Daniel smiled when she answered in her lovely, sassy way. “What is it, Daniel Miller?” 

“Aw, Good morning to you too, Esther. I would say Happy fourth, but you would probably tell me to fuck off,” he quipped, and smiled into his phone when he heard her sigh.

“Hmm, probably. But, seriously, Daniel, it’s early, not even six in the morning. Are you calling because of that silly podcast?” 

“Oh, you know me too well, Esther. Yes. I am. Did you hear it this morning? I still think he’s Diver. The man who may have killed my Mother. All the dates add up, plus he’s talking about personal events only Diver would know about,” Daniel asked, as he tossed his tablet onto the bed. 

“Yes, I know, Daniel, you’ve told me this before, but are you still sure about this? I don’t know, Daniel. You know that bastard Gilbert Dorn should be tried for giving away all the CIA’s secrets. Why hasn’t anyone on your end stopped him?” She asked, as she moved into her own kitchen and poured herself a coffee.

“I don’t know. Maybe they’re working on it. I’m sure my people at Langley will send someone out here. I could use your help, though. Could you maybe look for some files on Diver on your end? I just need to find out, Esther. I have to know,” Daniel answered, as he stretched on his bed, and smiled into his phone. “Are you still coming with me to the fourth of July party tonight?”

“Ok. I will try to find the files you need but please remember we must be careful around your people. We cannot let anyone know how close we are. We have to maintain the appearance we are still on opposite sides,” Esther reminded him. 

“I know that, Esther. I’ve told Valerie we are friends. Please, just come with me. It’s not like I can ask Hector,” Daniel retorted, playfully, and could hear her laughing on the other end of her phone. “Be my plus one. Please?” 

“It is a terrible shame about Hector, but is this really how you get your way? You whine?” Daniel could almost see her rolling her eyes. Then she continued, “Fine. I’ll be your plus one but if we get strange looks from the CIA, it’ll be your fault!”

“Oh, I wouldn’t classify that as a whine. It’s more a passionately phrased question. At any rate, it worked,” Daniel mused, and sighed loudly, wishing Hector were there with him. Emotion tugged at his heart. He missed Hector He missed that man, something terrible, as if anyone didn’t know that.

“You don’t get over loving somebody quickly, Daniel. I know you miss Hector. Know that I am your friend, and I’m here for you. I will see you later, my friend. You can pick me up at 4:30, since the party house is across town,” Esther replied, as she stared out her window for a moment. It was nice and sunny, the perfect day for the Americans to have their Embassy fireworks.

“Good. I’ll be there, in the light blue BMW, it was assigned to me for all the wonderful service I’ve given to Berlin Station,” Daniel announced, as he laughed softly.

“Wonderful. It’s about time you got some recognition from them, Daniel Miller. Too bad you didn’t defect to the German side, then you’d have a Beemer and an Audi.” 

“Well, fuck, you didn’t tell me that when you were trying to turn me two years ago. That would have been a deal breaker,” Daniel teased.

“Oh, now you tell me. Silly man. Get off the phone now, Mr. Miller, we both must get ready for work. Bye, see you tonight,” Esther teased her friend and laughed softly. 

“Auf Wiedersehen, Fraulein Krug. See you tonight,” Daniel answered, as they both rang off their cellphones. He signed again, and slid out of bed, making his way to his shower. Now, he was thinking about Hector again, and needed some relief, but he couldn’t do that now, he didn’t have time. He really had to get to work, or he would be terribly late.


	3. Tricky Assignments & 4th of July Parties

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel goes into Berlin Station, gets his next assignment - to go to Russia and find out about the little green men.

Daniel arrived at Berlin Station, CIA headquarters, and went through all the security checks that would lead him into the station and to his office. He placed his cell phone and keys in the locker outside the entrance and was handed his CIA ID by the young Army officer at the table. He smiled at the young man, and received a smile in return, then used his badge to open the door. 

Upon entering the office, he moved past the cubicles and the televisions playing worldwide news and then walked past Robert Kirsch’s office. “Morning, Robert.” he said in passing.

“Fuck you, you fucking fuck!” Robert teased him, as he smiled then went back to his phone call. 

Robert was a 5 foot 9 inches tall Jewish man, with sandy brown hair and brown eyes. He was sassy and tough as nails too. Daniel had a good working relationship with the man, and they shared mutual friends.

Daniel laughed, as he smiled at April, and pointed to her, as she too was on the phone with one of her assets, no doubt. April was five foot four inches tall, beautiful with smooth brown skin. At twenty-five years old, she had a lot to learn, but Daniel vowed he would stay close to her and teach her all he knew. He liked her, kept her under his wing, and appreciated that her sassiness was matched only by her kind, caring heart. She would do well, and since she had become his handler when Valerie was promoted to Station Chief, he placed his trust in her more than ever.

Daniel smiled and moved down the corridor to Valerie’s office and greeted her with a warm smile. “Morning, Boss. Happy Fourth!” 

“Morning, Daniel, Happy Fourth. There’s a case file on your desk I want you to look over, it’s about Estonia, and a possible Russian Invasion.” Valerie cautioned, as she smiled at Daniel, then closed her door.

Valerie was a tall, elegant woman, exceeding six feet in heels, super thin, with black hair and lovely brown eyes. She was sassier than Robert. She had been his and Hector’s handler when he’d first come to Berlin Station. He respected her. They were friends. Other than Esther, she was the only one who knew the extent of his and Hector’s relationship. She had assisted when Hector faked his death, and she knew this very thing was weighing heavily on Daniel’s mind. It was the Fourth. Missing someone you love on a holiday was only natural. 

“Sure, boss. I’ll get right on that.” Daniel sighed, and made his way into the kitchen first. He poured himself a cup of government coffee, which he noted had improved since since April had arrived. Then he made his way to his office, where he found the top-secret file. He opened the file and began reading intently. He was surprised to read that their intel showed a strong Spetsnaz presence just outside of Estonia. That could only mean one thing: the Spetsnaz were planning on taking Estonia back, and would start a war to accomplish it if they had to. There was only one reason Valerie had placed the file on his desk. His next mission was to discover and identify the Spetsnaz presence. He was just waiting for Valerie to assign it to him.

The rest of the workday was spent doing research into the Spetsnaz. He watched a few training propaganda videos on the special CIA news channels online. The videos revealed the Spetsnaz were brutal, often beating up the citizens of Estonia, shooting them, and convincing them that turning to Russia was the best idea possible for all those involved. 

Daniel’s eyes were hurting from having read so much on the Spetsnaz, Estonia, and the possible threat of impending war. He rose from his desk and took his lunch break outside in the sunshine. The square was a nice place to walk and the sights invoked childhood memories. A lot had changed since he was a boy, but it had to, didn’t it? History had had a profound and lasting impact on the city and had affected all of Germany, part of Europe, and extended its reach of wartime aftermaths to Great Britain and America. Daniel walked around the square, clearing his head of Russians and Estonia, memories that chased him relentlessly, and the nagging questions surrounding Diver. Still, his mother’s death and Diver’s possible involvement remained a constant in the backdrop of his mind. 

When he returned to the station and checked in, he realized he had left his cell phone behind. Not that he needed it; he just wanted to walk and clear his head. He met Robert at the door and smiled when the man patted him on his back. 

“Enjoy your walk, Daniel?” Robert asked, as he buzzed them both into the office proper.

“Yeah. I needed to clear my head of all this fucking Russian shit. I have a feeling that will be my next mission,” Daniel intoned, as he held the door for the smaller man to enter. 

“Well, I think Valerie is going to send us both there to start. Then, yes, you may be staying there to continue the mission,” Robert told him, as he placed his hand on Daniel’s arm, he squeezed it and steered them toward the skiff, where Valerie and April were waiting for them. 

“Come in, boys. We have some information about a field agent already in Tallinn,” Valerie called to them, as they entered, and Daniel closed and locked the door behind them. They both sat down next to each other at the table. 

“All right, Daniel, as you may have guessed, this is your next mission, and it is quite a harrowing one. There is already a man there, Rafael Torres, who you will both be meeting tomorrow. Daniel, listen to me, I don’t want you to get into too much trouble. So, when you meet up with Torres, make sure you listen to all he has to say. My contact told me that he’s seen some evidence. Just - listen to him. I want you to be safe,” Valerie intoned seriously.

“You can trust me, Valerie. I will always listen to intel. It helps to get things done properly, but, if I can do my own investigating, then I will do so. You all know me. You know how I work. It’s much better for me to go in deep,” Daniel answered, and watched everyone’s faces, knowing they all cared for him, but he had been through so much since he came to Berlin Station, this would be all right.

“I know that, Daniel. I trust you but remember Torres is there for a reason. Use him if you must. April will continue to be your handler, so make sure you stay in touch with her,” Valerie cautioned one final time, then looked at her watch. “Well, everyone, since it’s the holiday, we’re shutting down to attend the holiday party from the Embassy. I will see all of you later. Let’s call it a day.” 

With that they all stood up from the table and exited the room. They all made their way home to don their party clothes for the July 4th festivities. Daniel went back to his apartment and dressed himself in a light blue shirt, gray trousers, and black and white Adidas sneakers. Once he was ready, he went downstairs and unlocked his blue BMW, then drove to Esther’s place in the heart of the city. As he rode the elevator to her floor, he smiled to himself, happy that she was joining him. He rang the buzzer for her apartment, and she buzzed him in.

Esther answered the door and was dressed in a lovely black and red print dress, and heels. Daniel entered her apartment and hugged and kissed her lightly. “You look nice, Esther, incredibly beautiful. Thank you for coming with me, my friend.” 

“Charmer,” she teased, but then reached up and caressed his cheek with her fingers. "You look as handsome as ever. I’m sorry Hector’s not here. Do you come back here with me tonight? We can watch movies, relax, and you can get your mind off things.” 

“I would love to do that, but I can’t stay the night. I have to leave before dawn. I have a mission.” Daniel told her, and as he continued to hold her, he suddenly knew they would make love. They would make love, and then he would have to leave. The thought brought Hector to mind and the moment turned bittersweet. They would make love and then he would leave. It was the story of his life.

“Yes, of course. I understand. So, come on, let’s go. We don’t want to be too late for the party. We don’t want to keep your friends waiting,” Esther intoned, as she reached for her purse and her sunglasses.

Daniel kissed her lightly again, and then opened the door for her. In the corridor, he locked the door behind them, and they walked together to the elevator. Downstairs, he opened the car door for her, and then slid into the driver’s seat. She switched on the radio and found a dance music station. Rhythmic bass and understated techno sounds rose over the silence between them in the twenty minutes it took to arrive at the house. 

They made their way up the elevator, to the roof of the house, and Daniel entered the rooftop first, with Esther a few steps behind him.

Daniel could see Robert and April talking, and smirking at him. He shook his head at them. “Oh, come on, give me a break. We’re just friends. She’s my plus one. Give me a beer, Robert.” 

“Sure thing, Daniel. I’m just teasing you. I wish Hector were here too. We all do but know it’s not possible. I’m sorry. I’ll just shut up now. I know you miss him. Happy Fourth, Daniel,” Robert smirked at his friend, then opened the beer and handed it to him. 

“Yes, Robert, put a zipper on it,” April said, as she rolled her eyes at Robert, laughed despite herself, then hugged Daniel lightly. “Happy Fourth of July, my gay friend,” she whispered, and laughed. They both stood close and whispered to one another. No one could hear them over the loud music.

“What? How – how did you know?” Daniel asked April incredulously.

“Oh, please, it’s so obvious. No, but seriously, I’m young and observant, I figured it out on my own. Don’t worry, though, your secret is safe with me.”

“Thank you, April. Yes, of course you figured it out, you’re a clever young lady.”

“You’re welcome, Daniel. I think it’s sweet anyway.” April giggled and that caught the attention of Robert.

“What are you two whispering about?” Robert asked.

“Nothing, Robert. Give me another beer and April a white wine.”

“Sure thing, Daniel. It’s a nice night for this party. Happy fourth of July, my friends.”

“Thank you, Robert. Happy Fourth of July. This place is really nice. I like it,” Daniel remarked, as he moved to April’s side and they all clinked their drinks. Just then Valerie joined them, and they smiled at her. 

“It’s a rented house I use, sometimes when I want to get away from CIA bullshit,” Valerie added, as she joined them, and smirked at Daniel, seeing Esther across the room.

“Oh, come on, not you too, Val. We’re just friends, nothing more.” Daniel said, as he followed Val to the edge of the room. 

“Listen, Daniel, I know you and Esther are just friends. She’s your support in all that went down with Hector. She probably just feels guilty for her part in that all,” Valerie remarked, as she squeezed Daniel’s muscular bicep and smiled warmly at him. “I know that you miss and love Hector. I miss him too. I’m trying, but I haven’t been able to find out where he is. I’ve heard nothing. I’m sorry.” 

“Thank you, Val, I appreciate that, I’ve tried looking too. His trail just went cold after Cape Town. I don’t know where he could be, I wish I could find him. I still love him and miss him, but what can I do? We parted as friends, but I’m worried about him. He told me to forget about him, but said he still loved me, and that we would always just be friends,” Daniel remarked, hiding the pain in his eyes as he sipped his beer.

“At least you know that you’re still friends. It’s a good thing he told you,” Val comforted him, as she squeezed his arm again. “Please, make sure you speak with Henrik Viidding, and tell him to keep things calm. Try to avoid a war.” Val cautioned, as Robert joined the two of them. 

“I will, Val. Robert and I will make sure he keeps things in line,” Daniel added, as Robert handed him another beer, and he smiled at the other man.

“Yeah. Henrik should comply, since we saved his ass when the Berlin Wall fell,” Robert remarked, as he grinned at them. 

“Be careful, Robert. Don’t poke the bear, but remember, big wars start in small places,” Valerie told them both, as she sipped her wine, and then turned when she heard a familiar voice. She smiled and slyly winked at Daniel when he turned away, pretending not to be with Esther. 

“Hello, Valerie,” Esther said as she joined her with her glass of red wine. The music was loud now, so they could have their private conversation.

“Hello, Esther. I’m glad you could come as Daniel’s plus one. Thank you for being his good friend, being there for him when he lost Hector,” Val replied as the two women stood together. They seemed very close for being spies on opposite sides. There was something going on with them. Something that would culminate in the future. No one knew this, but they would find out just how close they were.

“Thank you for the invite. Ah, well, Daniel asked me to come. I’m glad to be his friend. He needs that support after all that went down with Hector’s departure from Berlin. By the way, this suits you, you know, you look fantastic,” Esther complimented her.

“Yes, I’m sure Daniel asked you, even though I already invited you,” Valerie said mysteriously. “Oh, what, this old thing? I’ve had it for ages,” she added jokingly.

“No, Val, the COS of Berlin Station. You’re doing a better job than any of the boys could ever have done,” Esther laughed.

“Thank you, Esther, you as well. I think we women have to stick together to keep these boys in line,” Valerie teased as she clinked her glass of wine with Esther’s, and they shared a look no one else saw.

Daniel, April, and Robert all said cheers, and Val added the “Proust,” which Esther thanked her for. There was food, but Daniel wasn’t hungry, as he moved to stand beside Esther, while the others went to eat. “So, did you find anything?”

“Yes, Daniel, Diver was real. I searched through the database at the Bfv. I will try to get the file, but it’s going to take a bit,” Esther told him, as she leaned in close, and stole a quick kiss.

“Thank you, Esther. I will make sure I ask Henrik Viiding tomorrow. I think we should just skip tonight. I just want to go back to my place and relax, because I’ve got to get up early, anyway. Is that okay?” Daniel whispered, as he smiled at her.

“Yes, of course, Daniel, I understand, you have a big mission tomorrow. If you want to call me later to chat, I will pick up the phone,” Esther answered. Then Robert was calling them over for fireworks and they realized how quickly the night and their time together had gone. 

“Oh, great, here we are with the Embassy fireworks. Happy Fourth everyone!” Daniel called out, and allowed himself to be happy in the moment, for he wasn’t sure where tomorrow would take him. Once the fireworks were over, Daniel and Esther stayed a while longer, drinking with Robert and April, having fun, and dancing to some of the house music Valerie played. Everyone was bit drunk but it was a good night.

Daniel and Esther said their goodbyes and he drove Esther home. She kissed him goodbye, and watched him drive away in his blue BMW. Once she had firmly locked the door to her apartment, she stepped into the lounge, sank down onto the sofa, and broke into tears. She missed him already and she knew the mission was extremely dangerous. Then, she opened the messaging app on her phone and sent him a text in German. She knew he spoke it fluently. 

_(Text - DM) Daniel, good luck be safe. Miss you, my friend. Esther. X_

Daniel laughed when he read the text as soon as he entered his apartment, he also replied in German. 

_[Text-EK] Thank you, Esther, my dear friend. Miss you too. I will do my best. Daniel X_.

He got ready for bed, brushed his teeth, and washed his bearded face. He fell into his bed and all night he dreamt of Hector. Yet, the man wasn’t Hector. He looked different, scarier. A young, dark-haired man with piercing green eyes—searchlight eyes—and plump pouty lips that could save or poison with a kiss. Who the hell was this man? Daniel didn’t know, but the man haunted his dreams until his alarm woke him in time to get ready to leave with Robert to Tallinn.


	4. Meetings with Spies and Allies in Tallinn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel and Robert meet up with Torres, the unorthodox agent in Tallinn. Trouble is looming on the horizon....

Daniel and Robert arrived at Tallinn Station around ten in the morning, the sun was shining on another hot July day. Daniel looked out the window of the car, while Robert drove to the headquarters first, to meet up with the post guard. 

He and Robert entered the building, and found a handsome young marine, in his whites for the holiday. The young man greeted them and logged their passports before he handed them back. “Do you both know where you’re going now?” 

“Upstairs. We were told Rafael Torres would be waiting for us,” Daniel answered the Marine and watched as the young man signed. 

“Hmm, right, well, no one’s up there. The Station is empty now. Not only because of the holiday, but because there’s just no one here anymore, it’s just the bare minimum.” 

“Great. Well, so, where is he now?” Robert asked, as he swore under his breath, and stared wide eyed at the young Marine.

In turn, the young Marine bent down to a safe underneath the desk, and pulled out a sheet of paper, handing it to Daniel. ‘What’s this for, Marine? Why is the agent offsite?” 

“I’m sorry, Sir, but that’s on a need-to-know basis, as Torres said, and I don’t really need, nor do I want to know anything about it,” the Marine answered Daniel truthfully. “It’s not that far from here, the safe house is just down by the water.” 

“Do you know this guy? What’s he like?” Daniel grilled the young Marine, and leaned over the counter to sternly glare at the young soldier.

‘Yeah, I know him a little. Hard to say, though, he’s just strange sometimes,” the Marine answered.

“And? Stop being cagey, Marine, speak your mind. I know you want to. Why did you say he’s strange?” Daniel pushed the young man, and could see he was uncomfortable. 

“Look, he’s okay, a bit of a nutter sometimes, an unorthodox agent, but that’s all I really know. I can’t tell you anymore, per Agent Torres’ orders, I don’t need or want to know,” was all the Marine said, as he signed and looked away from them.

“Beautiful. This is going to be so much fun. Come on, Daniel. Let’s go see this wonderful Torres,” Robert retorted, as he thanked the Marine and walked out the door. Robert drove them to the abandoned safe house, using the navigation system in the car, and the Marine was right, it was down by the waterfront. Which really was quite nice, for a dirty Russian waterfront. The building was three or four stories, made of brick and metal, green and white, with lots of windows. In other words, a real dump of a place, as far as safe houses went. They were both wondering why the man asked them to meet him there, but they would soon find out. Once they were by the building, Daniel looked around, shaking his head at Robert. “Why do you think he wants us to meet him here? This is not in the ordinary.” 

“I don’t know, Daniel, this guy seems to be a little off the wall, just stay on your guard around him. I don’t trust what he’s up to, the fucking asshole,” Robert answered, as they climbed up the stairs and he pushed open the metal door, 

When they entered the building, Daniel breathed in the hot stale air, and regretted it immediately as he had to fight nausea from the terrible stench. Rafa appeared at the top of the stairs. “Hey, up here, man!” Robert and Daniel took the stairs, and when they entered the dusty small box of a room, with broken furniture, and windows. But they were shocked at what they saw in that room.

“Jesus fucking Christ, what the fuck is this man?” Robert called out, as he saw a man, all beat up and tied to a chair by the window. 

“You gotta be shitting me,” Daniel added, as he turned away from the man, and eyed Robert, not sure what the hell was happening. 

“Damn, guys, you’re both hot, especially you, stretch,” Torres voiced, as he licked his lips and gazed at the tall man. 

“What?” Robert asked, and then made an understanding face. “I think he means you, Daniel.” 

“No. I don’t think so. Well, maybe. Hey, man, you’re pretty hot yourself.” Daniel added, as he smirked at the younger man, and blushed all at once from the attention the man’s eyes were giving him. 

“Yeah. I would let you have me, and me you, man, but we gotta wait until later. But, hey, still, it’s nice to see some friendlies. Come in to my humble abode,” Torres intoned, as he eyed both, but mostly Daniel. He wanted to climb that fucking tall tree and never come down. 

Rafael Torres was a Puerto Rican, strong, tanned, and muscular build, about five foot nine inches tall, but he could pack a mean punch, and had learned how to fight in the field, as an Agent. He was bi-sexual, because in their field, you had to adjust to certain things, and situations. Like Daniel, he was appealing to both men and women. And he acted on every experience, and every chance he could. Like now, he really wanted to fuck Daniel Miller, but he had to calm himself, because he couldn’t do that. 

“Hey man, Rafael Torres,” He said as he held out his hand to Robert, but Robert didn’t shake it. Instead, Daniel reached out and grasped his hand with both of his. 

“Nice to meet you, Rafael Torres. I’m Daniel Miller, this is Robert Kirsch. We’re from Berlin Station,” Daniel intoned, as he held Rafa’s hand for way too long, but his hands were warm and strong. But he eventually let them go and turned back to matters at hand. 

“Mm, yeah, good, you’re very hot, Daniel Miller. Robert, you’re sexy too,” Torres quipped, and then turned to Robert, who had a sour look on his face. 

“Jesus Christ, Torres. What the fuck are you doing here? What’s with the beefy fucker, beaten to a pulp, and tied to the fucking chair? What’s this all about?” Robert grilled Torres, not really liking his unsavory methods of interrogation.

Daniel just smirked because Torres already reminded him of Hector. He was the same way, loose cannon. Did things his own way. Yeah, he really missed Hector.

“Oh, you mean this guy. He’s my greatest pawn in this game with Russia and Estonia. He’s proof that the little green men are here, boots on the ground.” Torres answered, as he moved closer to the man. 

“Where is your COS? Who signed off on this? Why are you alone? Don’t you have any backup?” Daniel asked, as he smirked at Torres, and laughed when the man raised his eyebrows at him. 

“Oh, sorry, man, that would be me, I signed off on this. There’s no one left, they’re all gone. I have carte blanche because my fucking COS is living the dream in Tampa. He hightailed it out of Russia the moment we found boots on the ground.” Rafa continued, as he moved a chess piece on the board on the table, and reached for a deck of cards, shuffling them between both hands. 

“Oh, no, man, you’ve gone way off the charts with this one. We can’t do this. What the fuck is going on, Torres?” Robert cautioned, as he moved to stand next to Daniel. 

Rafa smiled at them, then leaned over to speak to the man in Russian. “Don’t be shy, you’re among friends.” he swung the man’s chair around, and reached for the man’s bound hands, showing them to Daniel. “Fingertips.” 

Daniel approached Rafa, and looked down at the man’s fingers, shaking his head, as he gripped one of his fingers. He was close to the other man, who smiled and licked his lips. “He has no fingerprints. Someone burned them off,” he revealed and moved away from the other man. Yes, he was good looking, but now really wasn’t the time for flirting. Daniel and Robert shared a look, as Daniel stared down at the beaten man with disgust. 

“Where was this done? Hmm? Special Purpose Center at Kubinka?” Torres continued to grill the man, as he yanked on his arms.

Daniel stood close by, while Robert remained by the door. He was really fucking scared, and wanted to get out of there, but he knew Daniel would stay, so he just stayed silent and glared at the whole situation. 

“I don’t understand. I am not Russian. Do not speak it. This man is wrong, he is crazy. Please, help me, he has beaten me wrongly.” the man answered, speaking in Estonian, which made Daniel a little weary, because Torres had spoken in full Russian to the man, and he seemed to comprehend it all.

Robert shared a look with Daniel, which meant he was done with this asshole, and his shit. “Yeah, I’d have to agree with that statement. What the fuck is wrong with you? Why are you doing this? Who do you think this guy is?” 

“Naw, man, the Russians are already making their move. Little Green Men in Estonia. This man is proof of it, he’s a Spetsnaz boy. I have been tracking a ghost in my time here. Saw that ghost, in the street, two weeks ago. A trained assassin, Spetsnaz named Sergei Bassarov. This is proof of Russian boots on the ground in Estonia. I set up surveillance, but the thing is about this guy, he’s totally disappeared. Poof. Like a puff of smoke, and I haven’t seen him since,” Rafa explained, as he typed in a code on his laptop.

Daniel moved to the table where he had his laptop hooked up. He looked down at the laptop, studying the guy, seeing who he was, so he could do his own investigating. 

“I know this guy from Homs and Aleppo, he’s definitely a sniper. This guy took out some really good people when I was stationed there, friends, from the British Armed Forces,” Rafa continued, as he looked up at Daniel, the other man staring at the screen.

“So, you said, Russian Special Forces? They’re fierce, not a good time to have them around here in Estonia,” Daniel added, as he stared down at the laptop, then looked over at Rafa grinning up at him. 

“Yeah, Daniel, you got it. Spetsnaz, there’s no doubt about it. Crack shot from 100 yards away, man. Like I said, the Russians are already in Estonia, and there’s no way of getting them out. They mean to take over and start a war with anyone who will try to stop them.” He added and could see Daniel was deep in thought over something. If he were as good an agent as he had heard about, he had no doubt the man would be doing intel of his own. He was a real ground officer, undercover and shit. He would need to be available to him in case he contacted him for help. 

“So, tell us, how’d you find this charmer? Please tell me you didn’t do anything fucking illegal, Torres. This looks terrible,” Robert suddenly cut into Rafa and Daniel’s staring fest, making them both lose eye contact for that fleeting moment they had held it. 

“Oh, man, you won’t believe it. I separated this one from the fucking herd of Russians, set up a trap for him,” Rafa started to say, and smiled as he remembered last night. 

“Oh yes, what did you use to bait him? He looks like a fucking truck ran over him.” Daniel intoned, as he stared down at Rafa, a concerned look on his face. He was starting to agree with Robert, this guy was a fucking nutcase. 

“Me. The chance to stomp on a drunk American. The bar that I found him in was full of fucking ethnic Russians. No one would pass that up. So, I went into the bar, late last night, and started kicking up a fuss about our Independence Day. They all pounced on me, beat the shit out of me, but this one, he stayed on his barstool. Didn’t move. That’s how I knew he was trained Spetsnaz.” Rafa laughed, as he remembered how he had caught the fucker, and HE beat the shit out of HIM. 

“So, wait, you bagged this guy here because he didn’t kick your ass? Have you checked him out? Did you find out who he was before you laid into him?” Daniel asked, as he stared back at Rafa again, noticing how the man’s eyes roved over his body. 

“He showed military discipline by staying out of it. He’s the only one who laid back and didn’t pounce on me with their fists and their feet. Also, he was the only one who wasn’t wearing a St. George Ribbon.” Rafa added, as he grinned up at the handsome tall guy. 

“Wait, so, because he wasn’t wearing that pro-Russian Ribbon, you believed that he was Russian?” Daniel asked, in his low baritone voice, and watched as Rafa suddenly stood up and got close to his face. 

“They love to play mind games. Spetsnaz Mind Fuck, I like to call it.” Rafa said, as he winked at Daniel, and moved back to the Russian, who was pretending to be Estonian. “You must be the runt of your unit.” He spoke in Russian again to the guy.

Daniel pulled the laptop toward him, so he could get a better look at Sergei Bassarov, and yes, he was going to do his own investigating. He had no idea how that would get him into so much trouble soon.

“Torres, the ID he has in his wallet says he’s Estonian. His name is Juho Spota. I hope you checked him out, for everyone’s sake.” Robert suddenly spoke up again, as he snooped through the man’s wallet. 

Daniel turned around and glared at Torres because he knew the young man was lying. He didn’t do any such thing, he just went rogue, and asked questions later. 

“And what did you find in your search?” Robert countered again, believing that the young man was lying too.

“Hey, guys, it’s valid. I did check him out.” He quipped, as he began shuffling the deck of cards again, standing by his prisoner. 

“I am metalworker. I am metalworker. I am not Russian. I am from Estonia this man is wrong. I do not want to be here. I want to go home,” Juho Spota called out to Daniel and Robert, as they both stared from the fucked-up prisoner to Torres, who was imitating the man, and shuffling his cards. “I am metalworker. I am metal worker. He’s the one that’s lying. He’s not from Estonia. He’s a Russian Spetsnaz.”

“Okay, listen up, you fucking fuck, we’re out of here now, we’ve seen enough, we’re going to go talk to Henrik Viidding. Make sure you clean this shit up, and when we get back, this guy’s gone, and I don’t mean in that way, Torres.” Robert said, and then walked out the door, having seen fucking enough of this crazy shit.

Daniel stayed behind, as he stared at Torres with one of his best glares. “Come on, Torres, say it. I need to hear you say it before I leave.” 

“Okay, okay, man, I will release him, and send him back to his Spetsnaz family,” Torres answered, as he held his hands up in the air, and grinned at Daniel, at the tall handsome fucker. He shuffled his cards, and watched the man leave, smiling as he stared at his denim clad perfect ass. “But you know I’m not wrong, sexy Daniel Miller. You’ll see what I mean when you investigate yourself!” He called out to the hot guy, Daniel Miller, as he heard his footsteps moving down the stairs with the other hot guy Robert Kirsch. Damn Berlin Station must be filled with all the fucking hot guys, and hot fucking women too. It is fucking Germany, man, everyone in Germany is fucking gorgeous, not like here, in fucking Estonia. No. All he ever got were fucking fat old men, and weird women. He liked the women too, but only hot guys and hot women. 


	5. CIA Spies, Russian Allies & Spetsnaz

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel & Robert speak with Henrik, but unbeknownst to them are being tailed by a Russian Spetsnaz Lieutenant. Henrik dies, Daniel does his field work, Robert leaves to go to the Train Station. Then Daniel meets that Russian Spetsnaz Lieutenant, and gets a beat-down for his troubles.

Daniel and Robert were sitting with Henrik in the cafe in the square of Estonia. Daniel was sipping at his cappuccino, licking the foam off the small spoon Maret had provided for him. She hadn’t paid any attention to either himself or Robert, but he didn’t care. They were there to speak to Henrik, but he noticed how she seemed to flock to the older man, serving him over and over. 

Henrik Viidding was the Prime Minister of Estonia. He was a sick old man with a weak heart and failing health. How long had he been left to rot in that Stasi prison before the Wall had fallen? How long before the CIA had broken him out and carried him across the line littered with rubble? For years, the CIA had kept tabs on him, and he had been their eyes and ears for the goings on in Estonia. But things had changed in recent months. Russia was a threat, a takeover imminent, and civil unrest kept the streets alight in the darkness.

“With all due respect, you need to listen to us, Henrik. You have to leave the fucking monuments alone. You can’t allow anyone to deface them. This is causing such a stir around the world, and if you continue to do this, we will not be able to protect you for as long as we have,” Robert voiced, as he listened to the conversation the old man was having with this young waitress, who seemed to hover around Henrik the entire time they were there. Viiding and the waitress were speaking in Russian the entire time, but Daniel and Robert understood every word. They weren’t sure if Viidding knew that.

“Oh, you spoil me, my dear Maret,” Viidding said, as he smiled up at the waitress, ignoring Robert and Daniel as if they weren’t there at all. She had placed a bowl of compote in front of him, and he was pleased.

“For my favorite customer? Anything,” Maret answered, as she smiled at the old man, trying not to look at the two other obviously American men. 

“Just a cup of tea,” Henrik answered, and immediately dug into the dessert. “Mm, Robert, you have to try this now.” He took a bit of the sweet dessert on the spoon and shoved it into Robert’s mouth. 

“Mm, that’s quite delicious. Are you even listening to anything Daniel and I are saying to you?” Robert asked, as he started pointedly at him. 

“At the Centennial tomorrow, we will need your people to stand down. We can’t afford to have any more riots in the streets, Henrik,” Daniel put in, as he stared at the old man, and received a glare in return.

“Do you know what you’re asking? I cannot stop my people from celebrating. There will be music, and dancing in the streets, in celebration. I will not do that, Daniel. That monument canonizes our oppressors, our murderers. Almost 30 years ago, we chased the bastard Russians out, but in their minds they never left. We know we are separate from them, but they are just too stupid and stubborn to accept that.” 

“For ‘89 Henrik. For all we have done for you. We saved you from those Russians, that night when the Berlin Wall fell. You owe us, and we need you to step down from this,” Robert chimed in, again, but he could see it wasn’t working. The old man was as stubborn as a fucking mule.

“I understand that emotions are raw, Henrik, but try to see reason in this. We need you to leave those monuments untouched. It’s too much now it’s what is causing the riots. The Kremlin will be watching, and monitoring everything that goes on here tomorrow,” Daniel softened the blow a little, trying to be soft with the old man, but it was a losing battle. 

“Oh, fuck the Kremlin. I am tired of their fucking nonsense. We are Estonians, we are proud, and we will keep our independence. Russia will not come in here again. I will see to it they do not.” Henrik voiced, and just then Maret appeared again.

Robert was getting sick and tired of seeing this pain in the ass, it was as if she were spying on them. She always appeared at the times they were talking about these controversial topics. She was getting on his nerves. “Fine. Fuck the Kremlin. But don’t think for a second they will eat shit while you humiliate them. There will be more riots, and invasions, and we won’t be able to help you.” 

“Bullshit, Robert. Let me tell you what I remember. We will do our best to protect every NATO Ally. Those were President Obama’s words. He spoke them to me at this same table we sit at now. He promised me that the US would come to our defense, and now you tell me differently.” Henrik voiced, as he stared at Robert, that old glare back on his face.

‘Yeah, sorry, Henrik, but that was a lifetime ago. The world has changed, and so has America. Different President in the White House. Different views, and all the same shit,” Daniel intoned, and stopped talking when Henrik started choking. He looked at Robert with an annoyed expression. Knowing they were wasting their fucking time here. 

“You all right, there, Henrik?” Robert chimed in, as he watched the old man continue choking. 

“No. I am not well. My wife keeps asking me to take holiday. I told her not now, with the Centennial. My wife is stubborn as I am, but she made me promise after that, we go away for a while.” 

“So, Henrik, do we have your word about tomorrow? Please don’t incite anymore riots,” Daniel pressed, and knew they were probably upsetting the old man, but they needed assurances there would be no fucking rioting.

“Henrik, lead your people, they need you, but please don’t have them riot. We cannot have that anymore, it’s too much,” Robert finished, and noticed a blond woman staring at them, well, probably at Henrik.

“Ah, my lovely Sofia Vesik. Come here, sweetheart, meet my friends.” Henrik said, as he kissed the young woman and she turned to face them.

Daniel stared at her, and then at Robert, wondering if he should do the introductions, but nothing happened. 

“Nice to meet you, do your friends have names?” She asked, as she eyed them suspiciously.

“I’m Daniel, and this is Robert.” He said, as he put his sunglasses on. 

“Oh, I see, do you have last names?” Sofia retorted, and then looked back when her friends called to her. She smiled at the handsome young man, Daniel. He had lovely blue eyes.

“CEO Of Tervic Systems, which is number one all over Estonia and getting closer in the other Baltic States. Uh, employee Number 3 at Skype, 10 Million Followers at Twitter and Instagram, and the Facebook website. She is a wonderful woman,” Henrik continued to praise the blond Estonian woman.

“Oh, no, don’t listen to him, he’s exaggerating, worse than my parents.” Sofia blushed, and smiled down at Henrik. 

“Mm, she’s a force of nature. Sofia, darling, tell them about your Sama Kaart program.” Henrik pleaded, as he grasped her hands to keep her there, but she pulled away. 

“Maybe some other time, Henrik. It’s nice to meet you, Daniel, and Robert. Any friends of Henrik....” Sofia said graciously, then joined her friends at the table. She looked back at Henrik, worried about who those men were and why they seemed to be pestering poor Henrik.

“I’ll do what I can to put the pin back in the grenade. I am the old guard; Sofia is going to be the next Prime Minister of Estonia. She doesn’t even realize it, bless her, she has a kind heart.” Henrik finished, as he sipped his tea, and felt even worse than before. 

Daniel glanced back at Sofia, and she looked at him, a worried expression on her face, he just turned away, and back to Henrik. He was startled when the old man stood up and motioned for them to follow him. So, Daniel and Robert stood up with him, as they left the cafe and made their way through the square.

They had no idea they were being watched by a strong Spetsnaz soldier, a decorated young Russian Lieutenant, who was dogging their movements. He was just waiting to pounce on the two men who were there in Estonia asking unwanted questions and making demands they should not have been. He reported back to his People and they told him to follow them.

“It must be so hard for the CIA this season, battling with your allies now, seeing who will trust you enough to still work with you. I am not sure about anything anymore,” Henrik spoke with concern.

“Well, you can still trust us, Henrik. I hope you know that we are on your side, always.” Robert intoned, as they walked further through the square. He had a bad feeling about something but couldn’t name what it was. 

“Tell us about your Sofia Vesik. Can she be brought into our tent as a strong ally? Can she be trusted?” Daniel inquired, as they passed people staring at Henrik. 

“You mean America’s, Daniel?” Henrik countered, but it was lighthearted, as he smiled at the tall, handsome American.  
“No, Henrik, we mean ours. Berlin Station.” Robert answered, as he looked around at all the people milling about.  
“Well, she cannot be bought. She is not about that. She’s strong and charming, and intelligent. Your CIA will only have her loyalty, only if she is persuaded, then it will be best for Estonia.” 

“Isn’t that how Diver brought you into the fold, all those years ago? You knew him, personally, right?” Daniel cut in, as he stared at the old man, and watched his reaction. 

“Oh, Daniel, my name is in the history books, but Diver is the one who should be remembered. He was brave and honorable, and I owe him my life. I cannot speak of him now, it is too dangerous, but just know that he was good to me, a good Russian spy,” Henrik said to Daniel, as he looked at the handsome young man. What was he doing asking such questions, it wasn’t proper for him to do so. They were stopped by a citizen who wanted Henrik to take a picture with his family, which he did, and Robert snapped the photo.

“We were talking about Diver, Henrik. What else can you tell me about him?” Daniel pressed the old man, as he stepped up close to him, wanting to see if he would talk, but he was being stubborn. All he did say was that Diver was good to him and was a good Russian Spy. Well, that was something he could go with. He held onto the man’s shoulder and noticed he didn’t look so well.

“Henrik, do you want to sit down again? You don’t look so well,” Robert added, as he tried to get the old man to sit down again. 

Henrik wasn’t listening to them, as he stared up toward the sky, “Do - do you see that? Halos? Look. Look, Daniel, Robert, up there. They are so beautiful…” Then he collapsed, but Daniel caught him first, and Robert followed suit, as Henrik fell to the ground. 

Daniel held him in his lap, and kept his hand over the old man’s, when he stared up at him. 

“Fuck, Daniel, I’m going to get help. I’ll call an ambulance.” 

People started to crowd around them, but Daniel pushed them away. “Please, give us some room here. Let him breathe. Henrik stay with me. Please, we still need to talk more about Diver. I think he is someone - the one who maybe killed my mother. I need you to tell what else you know,” he pleaded with the old man, as he held him in his lap, and could see him fading.

“No, Daniel, it is not right to speak of this, he is my hero. He would not do such things. You need to stop this, it is nonsense. Please, no more questions, he was my good friend,” Henrik breathed out his words, and little did he or anyone know, they would be his last. 

Little did Daniel know that the man from his dream, the dark-haired beauty was watching him. The young Russian Spetsnaz Lieutenant could read lips and he didn’t like what he was seeing of this American man, pushing Henrik like this. He was being nosy, but he would catch up with him, and make him pay. 

In the next moment though, the ambulance finally arrived, and the EMT’s came to the square, and loaded Henrik onto the gurney. They all got inside the ambulance, with the sirens blaring, with Daniel and Robert riding in the back to the hospital. 

The dark-haired man, the Spetsnaz soldier watched them getting into the ambulance, but his phone rang, and he couldn’t follow them at that moment. It was Roman, and they spoke in Russian.

“What the fuck is going on in Estonia, Rodion. Krik is growing uneasy,” Roman demanded.

“Calm down, Roman, I have it under control. There were two Americans, CIA spooks, speaking with Henrik, the old man collapsed, and they went to hospital in ambulance,” Rodion reported.

“Blyat’! What are you doing talking to me, get your fucking ass over there now. Go and stop them. Stop the fucking CIA from interfering with things. We need to get this mission done. I need Krik off my back. Do whatever you have to do, Rodion. I mean it, the next time I hear from you, I want to know you fucking took care of this _problem_ ,” Roman ordered, and before the young Spetsnaz Lieutenant could answer, he hung up the phone in his ear. 

“Chertov durak! What the fuck do you think I am doing, fucking Roman!” Rodon cursed in Russian, then slipped his phone inside his black denim pocket, and like the ghost he was, he made his way to the hospital; but it was chaos, he couldn’t get in there yet, so he lingered until the shit calmed down. 

The hospital was all fucking chaos, and they were whisked away into the emergency services entrance. “We were with him when he collapsed. We are personal friends of his,” Daniel reported.

“Okay, that’s fine, I understand. How long ago was this? What were you doing with him?” the Estonian doctor asked, as he stared at the tall American.

“About ten minutes ago. He wasn’t looking too good before that. We are old friends, supporters, just having lunch, that’s all it was. We have known Henrik for a long time. We are old friends of his,” Daniel supplied, and just as they pushed the gurney through the doors, the doctor nodded, but the nurse stopped them, glaring at them for trying to get through. 

“I’m sorry, you need to wait over there. You are not family, obviously. So, please step away from the doors.” The Estonian nurse pushed them back, and they just let her do so, as they moved back to the bench by the front entrance. 

“Oh, un-fucking-believable. This waiting fucking sucks,” Robert whispered, as he pulled Daniel down onto the bench, and reached for his mobile. He was on the phone with Valerie in seconds.

Daniel sat with his legs spread wide, feeling tired, and hot, and wishing they weren’t in the middle of this fucking shit show. He had a bad feeling coming over him and knew something was seriously fucking wrong with all of this.

“Robert, was he still breathing when you arrived?” Valerie asked, a look of sheer terror on her face. Why did he have to do this in their presence. 

“No, Valerie, it doesn’t fucking look good from here. We think he’s fucking dying now. The hospital staff wasn’t nice to us. The nurse practically pushed us away and fucking sneered at us. She said we obviously weren’t family,” Robert retorted, as he rolled his eyes and smiled at Daniel. He patted his thigh and sat back with him, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible, but not really making it.

“Okay, Robert, calm down. What’s the next fucking domino to drop? Maybe I shouldn’t have sent you and Daniel there now. I don’t have a good fucking feeling about this shit! You know if he dies, we’re in deep fucking trouble, the fucking Russians will move in,” Valerie went on, her temper rising.

“Oh, come on, fucking Valerie. Don’t pull that shit on me now. It’s all unclear. Stop being a fucking weeping willow. We are here now, so fucking deal with it. We will have a country in mourning by tomorrow, and they could snuff out the fire, and have an even bigger fire. Stop your fucking nonsense. Daniel and I are fine, we told the doctor we were supporters and old friends. Well, Daniel did, he’s good at this field work shit, I suck at it,” Robert complimented, as he winked at Daniel when he blushed and smiled. 

“And what does Torres think about all this? What was he like? You never reported that to me,” Valerie challenged.

“He was a fucking nut job. He had a Spetsnaz all beaten up and tied to a fucking chair, Valerie. I don’t really care what he thinks. But, still, he said he’s seeing little Green men all over Estonia,” Robert retorted, as he spoke quietly into his phone. He could see his friend was bored, but what could they do, they had to fucking wait for the fucking doctor to come out. “Daniel and I haven’t seen a fucking thing. Torres was right about one thing, there’s probably fucking Russian operatives blending into the population now, it’s a fucking cluster fuck. I think I’m going to let Daniel take over now and do what he does best. He’s the field agent here, I’m just a fucking desk man.” 

“Well, it worked in the Ukraine all those years ago, didn’t it? We stopped that invasion. We need to stop this, Robert, but now I don’t know how? All hell will break loose after this. Maybe you’re right, Daniel should do his thing, he is my best field agent now that Hector is gone. We also have Torres there, but from what you’re telling me, he’s off his head. His records indicate he’s good at his fucking job, but I don’t know him,” Valeria agreed, but was still skeptical about it all. 

“You have no fucking idea, Valerie. I don’t think we can trust this Torres; he’s fucking off the charts. He kind of reminds me of Hector. Sorry, Daniel, I know that’s probably hard copy for you,” Robert said, not realizing how hearing the name affected Daniel.

“Yeah, he does, Robert, but Torres could never be Hector,” Daniel quipped, and allowed his expression to close before Robert could notice how deeply he was affected. He leaned his head back against the wall, which was cool to the touch and allowed it to take away the heat flash he was feeling in the hot, stuffy hospital. 

“Well, I spoke to his CO in Homs, he told me his IQ is off the charts, even if he does use some unconventional methods. I think he will get the job done. We can have Torres and Daniel working two different angles and different aspects. Daniel can go deep, and Torres can hit the streets,” Valerie explained to Robert, she was talking loud enough for Daniel to hear too.

Daniel was so fucking bored. They were talking about Torres now. Was this fucking guy going to replace him now? Fuck that. He was going to do his job, and to hell with everything else. 

“And Henrik, I’ve seen a heart attack. This wasn’t it; this was something fucking else, but we don’t know what,” Robert countered, he could see poor Daniel was bored. 

“What, do you think he was poisoned, Robert? You need to have Daniel get a sample of his hair, he will know what to do, then, I think, maybe the two of you should get back here, asap, so we can regroup,” Valerie said, knowing Daniel wouldn’t listen, but as COS, she had to say it.

“Hang on a second, the doctor’s coming out,” Robert said, as he left Daniel by the bench and walked up to where the group was. 

Daniel watched as the doctor made the announcement that Henrik had died. He was so fucking pissed off. The man couldn’t get him more information about Diver, and now Estonia was going to move into more fucking chaos. 

“Oh, fuck, Valerie. He’s fucking dead. They just made the announcement. What the fuck do we do now?” Robert told her over the phone, a scared look on his face. 

Daniel still sat on the bench and didn’t notice the dark-haired young man walking past him, to where the doctor was making his announcement. He was so fucking pissed off how they had wasted their time in Estonia, and they still didn’t have any answers. 

Oh, but the young man noticed him. He had been watching him since he arrived in Estonia, since he had arrived at the hospital. He was a good Spetsnaz; he could make himself a ghost. Word from his own spies was that this man was CIA, and he was nosing in business he should not have. Oh, he would fix him. That was for sure. The young man was Spetsnaz Lieutenant, Rodion Volkov, and he was going to make this CIA man pay. Roman had told him to do whatever he needed to do, and that’s what he would do.

Robert walked past the young man and moved toward Daniel. Valerie had given the green light for Daniel to do his intel, and he was ready. 

Meanwhile, Rodion asked the nurse where the two men who brought in Viidding were, and she told them they were by the front door, on the bench. But, by the time he walked there, they were gone. He looked around, and swore, then made his way back outside, that man had to come out soon, so he would just wait to pounce on him. 

“Daniel, that was way more than a fucking heart attack. We need to get to the body and get a sample.” Robert told his friend and colleague.

“Yeah. I’m on it, Robert, not to worry. You get out of here. Meet me at the train station. Once we have our sample, we’ll get the fuck out of here.” Daniel voiced, as they moved outside, but not before he turned to see a young man with dark hair and green eyes. Fuck. That was the guy from his dream. Who the fuck was he to him? 

“Good. I’ll see you there, Daniel, be fucking careful.” Robert warned, and then took off down the street, leaving Daniel behind to do the field work he was so good at. 

What Daniel didn’t realize was that Rodion had seen him, had stared right at him too, and smiled. Daniel knew in his heart that this man was trouble, but he had dreamt about him, and Hector, being with both. Fuck. He would deal with that later. Right now, he moved around the hospital, and into a side door, where the doctor’s entered. 

Once inside, he grabbed a set of keys from the table, and a badge, then slipped on one of the white coats. He made his way down the corridor, to a room where they kept the bloody rags and or body parts. He put on a mask and wheeled that cart through the hospital. He knew he was being stared at, but he just moved around as if he were meant to be there. He made it to the morgue room, but when he opened the doors, two guards tried to stop him, but he pushed the cart, and the lid fell off. The men were choking, but he kept going into the morgue. 

Daniel moved into the room, and made quick work of searching through the sheets, and finally found Henrik’s body under the last one. He searched Henrik’s mouth, hands, and fingernails for any poison, but found no residue. 

He found his pouch, and took out the gold case with his pills, then he pulled out a hair sample. Lastly, he found a picture that made his heart stop. It was a picture of young Henrik kissing the ground, and a man with a cap, and tan coat, and glasses standing above him. The photo was taken when Henrik was rescued from the Stasi prison when the Berlin Wall fell. This man looked familiar to him. Why? Who was he? He would need to look closer at the picture later, but for now, he pocketed the picture and the case, and steered the cart out of the room, just as the thugs entered and watched him. 

Daniel removed the mask, and coat, then hightailed it out of there. He dialed Robert’s phone, but cursed when he got his voicemail. So, he just talked into the phone. “Hey, there’s no sign of poisoning on the lips or the extremities. So, I took a hair sample, and his pillbox. Meet me at the depot soonest. Then we can get the fuck out of here.” 

He moved through the square, and it was bright sunlight. He looked behind him, to see if he were being followed, but luckily at that time, he wasn’t, or so he thought. So, he just kept walking, then he dialed April’s work number in Berlin Station. 

“Talk to me, Daniel. What’s going on?” April asked, being quiet and calm.

“Hey, I need two tickets on the next train out of here. Can you do this quickly?” Daniel asked, as he looked around and continued walking out of the square. The bad feeling, he had earlier returned, and he just felt as if he were being watched. 

“Sure can, just hold on a minute. Right, yes, confirming two tickets out of Balti Jaam Depot. Please, be careful, Daniel, and report back to me, or Valerie as soon as you are out of there,” April cautioned. 

“Thank you, Will do. Heading there now.” Daniel confirmed.

“Okay, Daniel, I know, but I worry because you’re so far away from me. You’re all set. Do you want to talk to Valerie?” April asked. 

“No. no. Like you said, I’ll talk to her on the train. Don’t worry, April, I’ll be fine, I’m a good field agent, I got this,” Then he hung up the phone, and slipped it into his front pocket. He walked further down the road, now past come shops in the village square. All the shops there had one feature, they all had nicely decorated glass doors and windows. And, it was in the next instance, that someone came barreling at him, and pushed him through one of those glass doors. He grunted and held his head with his arms, as he flew through the glass door, and landed hard on the marble floor, covered in glass and wood. 

Daniel looked up to see the same dark-haired man from his dream, and the hospital, looming over him. They were the same height and build, muscular, thick hair and beard. He was tall, with thick black hair, and a full beard, piercing green eyes, and a muscular body that was made to be a soldier.. Fuck. He had to get that dream out of his head. Yes, he was quite handsome, but Daniel had to turn that thought off, because he was getting a fucking beat down from this other strong young man. He could hear people gasping all around him, as he tried to get up, only for the man to punch him hard in the face, keeping him down on the floor, as he searched his pockets. 

Daniel punched the man in his balls, but all that did was make the man angrier, and he didn’t even seem to flinch. It only got him more punches, but his own fists hit hard on the other man’s sides, his kidneys, and his back. Still, it was as if the man was made of steel, nothing hit him too hard.

The man had him in a choke hold, and kept punching Daniel in his kidneys, his stomach, his chest. “Where is it? Where is it, pretty boy?” He spoke in a thick Russian accent, broken English.

Daniel gasped when the man wrapped his arm around his throat and started choking him and punching him. He groped his entire body, his ass, his groin, his chest, and kept trying to get into his jacket pockets, but they were deep, and he kept moving around so the man couldn’t get any purchase.

The black-haired man looked up to see someone was filming the beating, and he threw Daniel to the floor, then approached the person, ripping the phone from their hand. 

Daniel didn’t stick around, as he ran out the door, and down the road. His entire body hurt like fucking hell, and he was limping from being punched everywhere. He took off running down the streets, while people moved out of his way, and could hear the man running after him. 

Rodion searched the streets for the CIA man, knowing he couldn’t get far. He knew these streets very well and knew he would catch up to the man. 

Daniel was bleeding from the side of his face now, his ear, and his throat, and he panted, as he ran uphill, losing his breath so easily. He had to get away from this man, or he would be dead. He ran inside a building with an alleyway, and when a bum grabbed him and asked him for money, he growled and shoved him away, then continued running through the building, with its narrow alleyways.

He was running hard, and fast, even though he was in so much pain. He kept looking behind him for the man, glad he wasn’t there. He made it to another enclosed alleyway and could see a clear route ahead. When he turned around to see if the man was there, it was a big mistake, because the dark-haired man barreled around the corner of another alleyway and smashed him in the face with a book. Daniel grunted, as more wounds appeared on his face. 

He threw some punches at the man, but he was fast, and weaved from side to side to avoid Daniel’s punches. He thought this guy was probably a trained soldier, because all his blows hit Daniel square on. He grabbed Daniel’s arms, and threw his entire body into the bookcase, smashing his face, and holding him straight, so he could search the back pockets of his denims. He groped his ass with his hands, and punched Daniel in his kidneys again. But when the man hit him in his neck with a hardback book, he grunted and fell forward, and landed hard on the ground. He scrambled away from the man, moving along the cobblestones, he was beaten, and had a headache, but he still fought on.

Rodion smirked down at Daniel, licking his lips at how nice he looked all bloody and scrambling away from him. He decided then and there, he would bring him with them to Komorova, to Krik’s Dacha, he wanted to play with him, and knew it would be fun. 

Daniel tried to get up, but the dark haired man kicked him in his ribs, keeping him down on the ground. He grunted and tried to scramble away again, only to fall back against a low table with books on it. His head was spinning, and his vision was blurry, but he still fought on. He reached for a chair, and tossed it at the man, who only smiled and shook his head, then placed it on the ground. He knew his life was over if he didn’t get away now, and luckily the bookstore owner tried to stop this madman. 

Big Mistake, because the man was not as muscular as Daniel was, and he easily broke the man’s arm, then threw him to the ground.

Daniel got up and started running again, as fast as he could, as he listened to the poor man screaming in agony. But he could hear the other man close behind him again. Fuck. He was losing his strength, but he had to keep going. He had to get to the train station, or he was a dead man. 

Rodion elbowed the man in his face, then took off running after the CIA man. He looked good from behind, and he wanted this one for himself. 

Daniel was so injured and in pain, he couldn’t run that fast, and in the next moment, Rodion tackled him on top of a table filled with swords, real swords. 

Rodion picked up one of the swords and sliced open Daniel’s pectoral on his upper chest.

Daniel cried out and fell to the ground, as everyone around them gasped and looked on in horror, but they didn’t help poor Daniel, as he struggled alone. He found a shield and used it to stop the next blow that would have sliced him in two. He skidded across the ground, and knocked over a stand of more shields, then took off running again. 

Rodion pushed the piles of wood and shields, and the Polizei joined him, as they helped him up, but he pushed them away, and shouted at them. “Get off me! Get him! Chertov durak! We get him now!” 

Daniel ran through so many alleyways, he had no fucking idea where he was, he just kept running, and he knew he had the edge, when he dumped that pile of shields over that man. He was panting and gasping, and in so much pain, but he had to keep going. He had to get to the train station, but he knew he was a long way away. When he finally emerged from another alleyway, panting and gasping, and bleeding horribly injured, he saw a bus, and he ran onto it. He leaned against the window, and checked his injuries, they were bad, bad, but he got away from the man. 

He looked around at everyone on the bus, to make sure that man wasn’t there, he was so disoriented, and in pain, but he kept himself upright, as he panted and gasped, and wanted to just fall. By the time he reached the train depot, it was dark. He limped across the street, and entered the building, and was relieved when he spotted a water fountain. He tried to clean himself, but it was no use, there were just too many injuries to count. He still looked around for the man, relieved when he didn’t see him yet. 

“Oh, shit, this fucking hurts…” he groaned, and checked the gash on his right pectoral. It was fucking deep, and would need to be stitched, if they made it back to Berlin Station, he could get medical attention there. 

“Oh, fuck!” He cried out when his wounds hurt so bad.

Daniel splashed the cold water on his face, as he was still panting and gasping and in so much fucking pain his head was reeling. He moved away from the fountain, and limped inside the depot, “Oh, oh, fuck,” he gasped, as he looked for Robert, and found him whole and hale sitting on the bench, reading a newspaper. He limped toward his friend and walked ahead as he moved in form beside him.

Robert couldn’t believe his eyes. Daniel was a fucking bloody, cut up, beat up mess. Oh, fuck, was that a gash on his chest. Shit. “Who did that to you?” 

“I don’t know. We need to get out of here, fucking now. Tickets on your phone, from April. Platform 12. Keep moving in front of me, I don’t want them to see you with me too much.” Daniel moved off to the right, while Robert went left, and Daniel gazed up at the time schedule, and to see if the man was there. Then he caught up with Robert again, panting and gasping. “He had training. He’s definitely been in the field.”

“Spetsnaz? Fuck, fucking fuck!” Robert swore, as they moved toward the platform.

“Torres was right. There is something going on here. It’s a fucking cluster fuck. The Russians are in Estonia. I need to stop this.” Daniel voiced, as he held onto his side, his injuries getting worse by the second. Then he looked behind him and saw the dark haired man with the Politsei in the yellow vests.

“Whose side are these guys on? Daniel, this is a fucking mess. They’re all over the place.”

“I don’t know, Robert. I can’t think straight, but I know I have to stay here.”

“This is some serious shit, Daniel. We are up to our fucking eyeballs in Russian operatives, and Spetsnaz. This is fucking scary shit.” Robert said, as he glanced down at all of Daniel’s injuries, he was so scared for his dear friend. They needed to get on the train, and get home, so he could get medical help. 

“I believe now that they got rid of Henrik. They may do the same to Sofia Vesik. They can’t leave any influential peacemakers on the board now. She’s in danger too. I have to save her.” 

“No, fucking way, Daniel. You are way overqualified for bodyguard detail. I forbid it. You’re coming back to Berlin Station with me. That’s an order.”

“I am not asking, Robert. I must stay here. I must finish what I started. I’m sorry, but this time I must disobey your orders. I’m staying here, Robert, this place is a timebomb, the fuse is lit. If they get to Sofia, then the whole fucking thing blows up. They will take over Estonia, and there will be a fucking war. I have to stop them, and all of this.” Daniel told him, and he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Fuck, all right. Daniel. That’s fine, but I only agree under duress. You’re injured, and you need help. Okay, fucking listen, we also need proof to take back to Langley,” Robert countered, and felt like shit for agreeing to let Daniel stay.

Daniel reached into his pocket and pulled out the gold pill box. “Here. Get this to Valerie. I’ll take them with me, just get on the train now. Get out of here, Robert.” 

"Excuse me. No, Daniel, come on, we’re right here. Let’s go!” Robert called, as he watched Daniel take off down the platform. Finally calling attention to the man with the black hair and the Politsei. 

“Daniel!” Robert tried again, but his friend was already running away, down the stairs, as he slipped through the doors of the train, and watched in horror as his friend was being chased by the Russians. 

Rodion spotted the bloody and battered CIA man, and smirked, as he took off running toward him, but he had gotten a head start. Still, he himself was a fast runner, and he wasn’t injured. He raced down the stairs after the man, smiling when he heard him panting, and gasping, as his footsteps carried him away from the depot, down the train tracks, away from the station, out the back way. The man ran fast for someone who was so injured, and bleeding. 

Daniel just kept running away from the depot. He hoped Robert was safe, and out of there by now. Even though he knew he was in deep shit Russia and would be dead if they caught him. So, he kept running and running. He ran past the train tracks, with the men behind him. He ran past large crates, and jumped the fence, then landed in a field, rolling down into a small ditch. He kept quiet, clamped his mouth shut, as he listened to the men on the other side of the fence. He could hear their shouts, as they searched for him. But for now, he was safe, he had escaped them. He let tears roll down his cheeks, as his body shook from fear and from all the pain he felt. He was safe for now, but he was alone in that ditch, in the dark. And he was suddenly very afraid. What had he done?

On the train, Robert felt awful leaving Daniel behind. Why was that man so stubborn? he thought. He knew Daniel should be there with him now; the train must have had a doctor who could have patched him up. He knew Daniel was an exceptional field agent, but Daniel was injured! _Fucking fuck!_ He hoped Daniel would be all right.  
He sighed and wiped sweat from his brow as he dialed Valerie's number. "It went to shit, Valerie. Russians were fucking everywhere. They fucking chased Daniel, beat him to fucking shit."  
"Robert, where the fuck are you? April spoke to Daniel fucking hours ago. This afternoon. Why the fuck are you just contacting me now?" Valerie raged. She had been worried because neither of them had answered their phones.  
"Yeah, well, that wasn't my fucking fault. Daniel was on his mission. He fucking had a run-in with a fucking Russian Spetsnaz. Spetsnaz beat him to shit like I just said. Fucking hell, Valerie, what the fuck is wrong with you?! Don't fucking scream at me! We are on a fucking mission _you_ sent us on. And me? Fucking me? I'm a fucking coward! I'm on a train overnight to Warsaw, connecting to Berlin," Robert shouted. _She’s grilling me? Fuck! It was_ she _who sent us into deep-shit fucking Russia!_  
"Okay, Robert, I'm sorry. I understand, but this was like any other fucking mission. Okay, so the Spetsnaz chased and beat him. Don't worry. We'll get him back. Tell me what happened at the train station?" Val asked. Her voice was calm.   
"Daniel…." Robert began.  
"Isn’t he with you? Where is he, Robert?" Valerie pressed Robert but couldn't get a straight answer out of him.  
"No! What the fuck did I say, you stupid fucking woman?! It was one fucking Spetsnaz who beat him! One fucking Spetsnaz. He looked like a fucking pin cushion. I was sure he had a huge gash on his pectoral! Then the Spetsnaz soldier and the fucking Russian Police they - they - they! Oh, fuck!"  
"Robert, where's Daniel? What the fuck happened?" Val insisted.  
"Fuck you, Valerie! I'm upset! Can’t you understand that? And, you’re cool as a fucking cucumber. We got separated, and Daniel's injured. I left him there with the fucking Spetsnaz and the Russian Police chasing him. I'm fucking telling you that I should have fucking stayed with him. Daniel is so fucking stubborn and wouldn't listen to me. He wants to run his op. He made me get on the train by myself. We were right there, but he said no, he wanted to stay and do his work."  
"I am not a cold cucumber, Robert. I'm fucking worried from what you're telling me. Jesus Fucking Christ. Daniel is a good field agent but what the fuck was he thinking? For now, we keep moving forward and hope we hear from him soon." Val said and heard Robert take a sharp intake of breath. She steeled herself, then continued, "Get back here, Robert. We'll deal with the fucking fallout then." She disconnected the call, swore loudly, and slammed down the receiver.  
Valerie couldn't believe this was the second time she was losing someone. First, Claire. Now Daniel. How the fuck were they going to get through this shitshow now?  
Robert tried to relax against the train’s plush seat. He was worried. Then he reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out the gold pillbox and turned it over in his hand. He saw the bloody fingerprint of his friend and took a sharp intake of air. _Fuck!_ He hated himself right now. He supposed that was the difference between Daniel Miller and himself. Daniel was brave and selfless, and he? He had run for the train. And if Daniel was killed? He’d give the finger to Berlin Station. He’d resign. He’d have to. He would have had enough. Besides, Noah was waiting. At least his son made a good argument for returning to the States. All the separation did was give him a headache, pain, and sleepless nights.

 _Fuck! Don’t think about Daniel not coming back!_ Robert closed his eyes and pressed his back into the seat. And in the meantime? He’d do everything he could to bring Daniel back safely to Berlin Station.  
  
  
Robert opened his eyes and stared out the window a moment. His thoughts took their aim and he shut his eyes again to hold them at bay. It was no use. Worst-case scenarios caught him between the eyes like a sniper’s bullets. _Whatever is happening to him, it can’t be fucking good._ Robert shifted in his seat and placed the pillbox back into his pocket. He pressed his hands to his face and tried to relax as his imagination waged rapid-fire assault on his conscience. Was Daniel okay? Where was he? What was happening to him? 


End file.
